Tuesday marks the end of an executive order signed by Governor Phil Scott in March, reverting the state’s ‘hotel-motel’ voucher program to its 80-day limit. The Vermont Agency of Human Services Secretary Jenny Samuelson said roughly 380 households who used the program are being exited. “We’ve been working with them and intensified efforts for case management over the last three months, with more than 86% of those households being engaged in intensive case management back and forth,” Samuelson said. The hotel program was expanded during the COVID-19 era, allowing users who qualified to stay for free. David Shappy, a user of the program who is staying in a hotel in Rutland, said he has reached his limit of stay. Now, he, along with family members, are trying to help him find a new place to live. “I’ve avoided living on the street so far, but it might have to come to that,” he said. “I’m going to get a tent or something along those lines. I don’t know what else to do, you know, other than purchase a tent. Or maybe I can find somebody that’s got an apartment. Then I can pay some form of rent to.”Shappy said he is using his disability check to extend his stay at the hotel until the end of the week. He spoke with optimism and said confidently that a solution will be found for him. “I’m pretty self-determined and I have a belief in my worker that she’ll get something done for me,” he said. “My sister’s been really helpful. So, I think something will work itself out eventually. There might be some struggles they had, but I think eventually things will work out for the best.”The executive director of Rutland’s Open Door Mission, a Rutland homeless shelter, Tammy Lynn Duclose, said that because of the warmer months, she is not sure if they will see an influx of people. She did say that there are several beds available. “We have our emergency shelter that anybody can come in, that’s over the age of 18, single, or if there are a couple, they don’t sleep in the same areas,” she said. Duclose runs the shelter with no nonsense; adults seeking shelter have to be sober when they arrive and are expected to look for work during the day. Their first two weeks of stay is free, but they are expected ot pay after. Duclose clarified that they work with the client on a case-by-case basis, based on their needs. She said that the voucher program needs to be phased in the state and that it’s not an effective means of transition. At the same time, she says there needs to be a shelter in the county that provides for families. The mission does not work with children. “For families that work with them on budgeting, on looking for jobs, on all kinds of stuff,” she said. “ can do that. We’ve done it here for 61 years.”Those struggling with housing are encouraged to call 211 to be connected with resources and recommendations.
Tuesday marks the end of an executive order signed by Governor Phil Scott in March, reverting the state’s ‘hotel-motel’ voucher program to its 80-day limit.
The Vermont Agency of Human Services Secretary Jenny Samuelson said roughly 380 households who used the program are being exited.
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“We’ve been working with them and intensified efforts for case management over the last three months, with more than 86% of those households being engaged in intensive case management back and forth,” Samuelson said.
The hotel program was expanded during the COVID-19 era, allowing users who qualified to stay for free.
David Shappy, a user of the program who is staying in a hotel in Rutland, said he has reached his limit of stay. Now, he, along with family members, are trying to help him find a new place to live.
“I’ve avoided living on the street so far, but it might have to come to that,” he said. “I’m going to get a tent or something along those lines. I don’t know what else to do, you know, other than purchase a tent. Or maybe I can find somebody that’s got an apartment. Then I can pay some form of rent to.”
Shappy said he is using his disability check to extend his stay at the hotel until the end of the week. He spoke with optimism and said confidently that a solution will be found for him.
“I’m pretty self-determined and I have a belief in my worker that she’ll get something done for me,” he said. “My sister’s been really helpful. So, I think something will work itself out eventually. There might be some struggles they had, but I think eventually things will work out for the best.”
The executive director of Rutland’s Open Door Mission, a Rutland homeless shelter, Tammy Lynn Duclose, said that because of the warmer months, she is not sure if they will see an influx of people. She did say that there are several beds available.
“We have our emergency shelter that anybody can come in, that’s over the age of 18, single, or if there are a couple, they don’t sleep in the same areas,” she said.
Duclose runs the shelter with no nonsense; adults seeking shelter have to be sober when they arrive and are expected to look for work during the day. Their first two weeks of stay is free, but they are expected ot pay after. Duclose clarified that they work with the client on a case-by-case basis, based on their needs.
She said that the voucher program needs to be phased in the state and that it’s not an effective means of transition. At the same time, she says there needs to be a shelter in the county that provides for families. The mission does not work with children.
“For families that work with them on budgeting, on looking for jobs, on all kinds of stuff,” she said. “[The state] can do that. We’ve done it here for 61 years.”
Those struggling with housing are encouraged to call 211 to be connected with resources and recommendations.
